About

Tony Hyland MBE Biography

Tony Hyland MBE was born in the heart of the old East End-Mile End Hospital itself-within the sound of the old bow bells, making him an honorary EastEnder and proud Londoner .

He has been a time served and distinguished Civil Servant for most of his career and has combined this with an impressive and acclaimed literary oeuvre as well as mentoring support for graduates of all persuasions and vulnerable groups.

He has written several striking plays ,screen plays and short stories, often combining a striking sense of comic timing with an original absurdist bent. He has had several plays performed both here and across Europe -most notably ' A Night at Sea', 'Monster of State ',' A Woman's World’, and ‘Forever England’ ,and also penned a number of arresting radio plays including 'What about Edu?' ,a prime example of his ability to cross boundaries and genres.

He has mastered the short story and has expressed a desire to write the funniest absurdist stories of all time-many of his stories combine characters from different eras and localities : Marie Corelli in EastEnders ,Ken Barlow as John the Baptist ,Oscar Wilde as a Yardie,Arthur Schopenhauer as a stand-up comedian-I can go on but find out for yourself in his short story collections listed on this website .

Tony has also worked on a few tributes to his musical heroes : his Randy Newman ,Paul Weller and Andy Partridge(XTC) appreciations give real insight into a number of their overlooked classics and brings their work to life with great insight and humour-all beautifully written too.

Ultimately ,if you like to laugh yet also think deeply about a number of subjects ,Tony provides some great material which also allows you the autonomy as reader ,especially in relation to the short stories ,to interpret in your own way and embellish the tales as you see fit.

His latest projects include ‘ Fairy Tales for Adults :Book 1 ‘ with the wonderful illustrator Bodie Stanley(Book 2 published too!) ,and the ground-breaking ‘Same Titles, Different Continents’ ,once again with Australian born Bodie Stanley and the wonderful young Nigerian Poetess, Blessing Jane Nnadi, where the threesome interpret the same titles, across continents, in their own way-very much a unique venture .

His recent ‘Bus Stop duology’ features two duologues, both featuring, what in essence is a third character: a ‘Bus Stop’; both plays being incredibly funny, but also being hugely moving as the themes of loss, grief, mental fragility, abuse, revenge, and friendship/love are explored so intensely.

‘Never underestimate the importance of a Bus Stop’, centres on an older and younger man, who both develop an infatuation with a Bus Stop; both men undergoing what appears to be a mental breakdown, grieving at their misfortunes, but coming together in a surprise heart-warming, albeit shocking, denouement.

‘Paul Weller takes tea at two’, focuses on an ageing ‘Mod’, who has had his share of traumas too, who intends to meet his hero, The Jam Songwriter, Paul Weller…but all is not what it seems, as he confronts his past with his sister. Very moving, humorous, and another shocking ending.

His recent ‘Fragments’ collection comprises of several highly original short stories, many of which began as scribbled sketches/drafts, which seem to have a life of their own and resist greater development. Tony invites you to almost fill in the gaps and let your imagination run wild as each story will tease you and stay with you-that is a certainty! There are some shocking stories here which, on the surface, many of you may find upsetting, or at the very least thought provoking, all displaying the cruelty of the modern world and the absurdism at the heart of our lives: why do we treat people so badly and why is there such a prevalence of inhumanity around us? By displaying these things so explicitly, we are forced to confront these issues while there is an also an unquestionable plea for compassion here too and yes-and this makes some of these stories even more distressing reading- a devastating blacker than black humour.

Tony’s work generally flirts with several genre’s, especially Surrealism, Absurdism, and the Theatre of Cruelty, and there is that underlying humour, that is at the foundation of each and every tale.

Several of his stories have already, in the case of ‘Never underestimate the importance of a Bus Stop’ in 2023, or are about to be, been turned into short films (‘‘ ‘We’ve just been murdered’, thanks for letting us know’ and ‘The Cladder’ are both due late 2025). All these stories seem ready made vehicles for short film.

A cross between ‘flash fiction’ and the traditional short story they are not naturalistic pieces; almost all exist as dreamlike, brilliantly stylised, sketches with beautifully crafted comedic sentences abounding. Think Joe Orton, crossed with Lydia Davis, with a dose of Pinter, laced with French Absurdism. Please enjoy!

Tony Hyland has also published the following plays and screen plays:

A Night at Sea
A Day in the Sun
The Interview
There’s a party at my House Tonight!
What about Edu?
Fulham
A Woman’s World -staged in London /Paris/Belgium 2018
Monster of State-staged in London/Paris/Belgium 2018
Forever England-theatre reading London 2023
Paris: A Novella
Compendium of Plays, Screenplays, Radio Plays and Monologues
The Bus Stop Duology: ‘Never underestimate the importance of a Bus Stop’ and ‘Paul Weller takes tea at two’ is due for publication May 2024.

As well as Volumes of Short Stories:

Phillip Mitchell celebrating the birthday of Soren Kierkegaard in Albert Square: Short Stories Volume 1
The Transmogrification of Kenneth Barlow into John the Baptist on the cobbles of Coronation Street: Short Stories Volume 2
Zak spoke Zarathustra: Short Stories Volume 3
Waiting for Godot and/or Cliff Richard at Marylebone Station: Short Stories Volume 4
Detective Inspector Trident’s Big Night Out: Short Stories Volume 5
Arthur Schopenhauer: First Alternative Stand-Up Comedian: Short Stories Volume 6
I can now see you in the cold light of day: Short Stories Volume 7
Cyril and the Golden Ticket but not a Fucking Chocolate Factory in sight: Short Stories Volume 8
Abigail Wetherby’s Lockdown Breakdown
Short Stories Volumes 1-4
Short Stories Volumes 5-8
Fragments

In 2018 he published: ‘Same Titles, Different Continents’, an anthology of Short Stories, Poems, and Illustrations with Bodie Stanley and Blessing Jane Nnadi.

He has also published:

A Short Essay concerning the genius of Randy Newman
An Essay concerning the Fire and Passion of Paul Weller
An Essay concerning the Wisdom and Wit of Andy Partridge (XTC)
Lionel, Detective Inspector-a novella

Tony is also available for speaking engagements/workshops and has a special offer for International Students and Graduates regarding mentoring support and you will find more information on this website. He is also a Theatre Producer always looking to work with young theatrical talent.

As a Civil Servant he is business focused, an excellent communicator and able to train and motivate people to achieve their best. He also works at a senior level across Government and is acknowledged as a creator and sustainer of great relationships with all key stakeholders .He looks to share his knowledge and expertise both internally and externally-and does so with great effect.

He is a Steering Group member for Women into Construction ;Board Member for Deaf Roots Stratford ;Career Nuggets Mentor; DWP Lead for the Care Leavers Covenant and exemplar Labour Market Business Partner for DWP.

He is a NLP practitioner and a fully trained /certificated personal /professional life coach and does voluntary work with community organisations and Universities especially around providing Employability support .He believes in supporting young people especially to enjoy meaningful and sustainable careers. He is also an experienced mentor and has worked with a number of Universities and has supported Young Black Graduates with employability workshops across London.

Tony is also a proud single parent to the beautiful Chakira,Cahjon and Cayden ,and grandfather to the wonderful Cai,Bailey and Roman, having recently lost his long term partner to that most heartless of diseases Cancer ; and he remains an integrationist at heart, abhorring racism ,discrimination and wanting all Nationalities and Religions to come together as one-a thought expressed so often in his work but the absurdity of the world so often gets in the way.

He was awarded the MBE for services to Disadvantaged Customers in the last Queens Honours List in 2022.